Mozilla Foundation created Open Badges in 2011 developing a new way to recognize learning wherever it happened – in and out of formal education and online.

Open Badges is a digital certificate that communicate skills and achievements by providing visual symbols of accomplishments packed with verifiable data and evidence that can be shared across the web. Open Badges empower individuals to take their learning with them, wherever they go, building a rich picture of their lifelong learning journey. Thousands of organizations across the world issue Open Badges, from non-profits to major employers to educational institutions at every level to recognize the achievements of others

Open Badges provide a flexible way to recognize learning wherever it happens, in and out of formal education and the workplace. They can represent any achievement from simple participation to evidence-backed competency development.

They are for everyone to recognize skills gained through a variety of experiences, regardless of age or background. They allow you to follow your interests and passions and unlock opportunities in life and work by standing out from the crowd

Open Badges are designed to be shared. By sharing, individuals showcase their achievements to consumers turning them into a valuable currency to unlock new opportunities.

Students appreciate Open Badges because:

• They can publish them on their social media (FB, Twitter, Linkedin, ...) and in digital CVs;

• They increase the web reputation of who consider them useful for recruitment purposes

• They increase the visibility and the web reputation of the issuer

In the virtual mobility scene, open badges currently play no role. A specific open badge should be designed and issued by Vet Institutions that promote the virtual internship, using the Open Badges Framework of the Mozilla Foundation to allow international comparability, but it is a tool not formal e it's value into the internship system is not defining.